Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 45 of 119 · 33 verses
The Citizens Follow; the Old Brahmanas Plead
Even after the king turns back, the people who love Rama keep following his chariot. He is dear to them as the full moon. Begged by them, Kakutstha still goes to the forest, keeping his father true. Looking at them lovingly, as if drinking them with his eyes, he says to them as to his own children: “The love and honour you give me, give especially to Bharata, for my sake. Of good conduct, the joy of Kaikeyi, he will do what is pleasing and good for you. Old in wisdom though young in years, gentle and valiant, he will be a fitting lord who removes your fears. He has been chosen crown prince, with every royal virtue; obey his command, as I tell you. See that the great king does not grieve while I am in the forest; do it to please me.” The more Rama clings to dharma, the more the people want him as their lord. With Lakshmana he seems to draw the weeping citizens after him as if tied by ropes of virtue.
Old brahmanas, old in three ways, in knowledge, age and power, their heads shaking with age, call from a distance: “Fine swift horses carrying Rama, turn back! Do not go; be good to your master. Beings have ears, horses especially; hear our plea and turn back. Your master, pure-souled by dharma, should carry you, not be carried away to the forest.” Seeing them lament, Rama at once gets down from the chariot and walks on foot with Sita and Lakshmana, keeping his steps short; he cannot bear to leave brahmanas on foot behind him in a chariot. The brahmanas say: “All brahmanahood follows you, who honour brahmanas; even our sacred fires, carried on our shoulders, follow you. See our umbrellas from the Vajapeya sacrifice following behind you like autumn clouds; you have no umbrella, burned by the sun; we will shade you with them. Our minds, always set on Vedic mantras, are now set on forest life for your sake. The Vedas, our wealth, live in our hearts; our wives will stay at home guarded by their virtue. We have decided; we follow you. If you disregard dharma, who will stand on its path? We beg you with heads white as swans and dusty from falling to the earth: turn back. Many sacrifices begun by the brahmanas who have come here can only be completed if you return. Creatures moving and unmoving love you; show love to those who beg you. The trees, unable to follow, rooted, toss in the wind as if crying out; the birds, motionless, without food, beg you who pity all beings.” As they cry out, the Tamasa river appears there, as if to stop Raghava. Sumantra unyokes the tired horses, waters them, and lets them graze near the Tamasa.
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अनुरक्ता महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । अनुजग्मुः प्रयान्तं तं वनवासाय मानवाः ॥ १ ॥
Devoted to great-souled Rama, of true valour, the people followed him as he went out to live in the forest.
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The Citizens Follow; the Old Brahmanas Plead 1 min read.
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निवर्तितेऽतीव बलात् सुहृद्धर्मेण राजनि । नैव ते संन्यवर्तन्त रामस्यानुगता रथम् ॥ २ ॥
Though the king had been turned back by force, by the dharma of friends, those who followed Rama’s chariot did not turn back.
अयोध्यानिलयानां हि पुरुषाणां महायशाः । बभूव गुणसम्पन्नः पूर्णचन्द्र इव प्रियः ॥ ३ ॥
For to the men who lived in Ayodhya, the greatly renowned one, full of virtues, had become as dear as the full moon.
स याच्यमानः काकुत्स्थस्ताभिः प्रकृतिभिस्तदा । कुर्वाणः पितरं सत्यं वनमेवान्वपद्यत ॥ ४ ॥
Though begged by those people then, Kakutstha, keeping his father true, went on to the forest.
अवेक्षमाणः सस्नेहं चक्षुषा प्रपिबन्निव । उवाच रामः सस्नेहं ताः प्रजाः स्वाः प्रजा इव ॥ ५ ॥
Looking at them lovingly, as if drinking them with his eyes, Rama said lovingly to those people, as to his own children:
या प्रीतिर्बहुमानश्च मय्ययोध्यानिवासिनाम् । मत्प्रियार्थं विशेषेण भरते सा विधीयताम् ॥ ६ ॥
“The love and the great honour the people of Ayodhya have for me, let them be given especially to Bharata, for my sake.
स हि कल्याणचारित्रः कैकेय्यानन्दवर्धनः । करिष्यति यथावद् वः प्रियाणि च हितानि च ॥ ७ ॥
“For he, of auspicious conduct, the joy of Kaikeyi, will do for you, as is fitting, what pleases you and what is good for you.
ज्ञानवृद्धो वयोबालो मृदुर्वीर्यगुणान्वितः । अनुरूपः स वो भर्ता भविष्यति भयापहः ॥ ८ ॥
“Old in wisdom, young in years, gentle, full of valour and virtue, he will be a fitting master for you, a remover of fear.
स हि राजगुणैर्युक्तो युवराजः समीक्षितः । अपि चापि मया शिष्टैः कार्यं वो भर्तृशासनम् ॥ ९ ॥
“Endowed with royal virtues, he has been chosen crown prince; and as I tell you, your master’s command must be done.
न संतप्येद् यथा चासौ वनवासं गते मयि । महाराजस्तथा कार्यो मम प्रियचिकीर्षया ॥ १० ॥
“And see to it, for my sake, that the great king does not grieve when I have gone to live in the forest.”
यथा यथा दाशरथिर्धर्ममेवाश्रितो भवेत् । तथा तथा प्रकृतयो रामं पतिमकामयन् ॥ ११ ॥
The more the son of Dasharatha took refuge in dharma alone, the more the people wanted Rama as their lord.
बाष्पेण पिहितं दीनं रामः सौमित्रिणा सह । चकर्षेव गुणैर्बद्धं जनं पुरनिवासिनम् ॥ १२ ॥
With Saumitri, Rama seemed to draw after him the wretched people of the city, covered in tears, as if bound with ropes of virtue.
ते द्विजास्त्रिविधं वृद्धा ज्ञानेन वयसौजसा । वयःप्रकम्पशिरसो दूरादूचुरिदं वचः ॥ १३ ॥
Brahmanas old in three ways, in knowledge, age and power, their heads shaking with age, said these words from a distance:
वहन्तो जवना रामं भो भो जात्यास्तुरंगमाः । निवर्तध्वं न गन्तव्यं हिता भवत भर्तरि ॥ १४ ॥
“Ho, ho, swift, well-bred horses carrying Rama! Turn back; you must not go. Be kind to your master.
कर्णवन्ति हि भूतानि विशेषेण तुरङ्गमाः । यूयं तस्मान्निवर्तध्वं याचनां प्रतिवेदिताः ॥ १५ ॥
“For beings have ears, and horses especially; so turn back, now that our request has been made known to you.
धर्मतः स विशुद्धात्मा वीरः शुभदृढव्रतः । उपवाह्यस्तु वो भर्ता नापवाह्यः पुराद् वनम् ॥ १६ ॥
“Your master, pure-souled by dharma, heroic, of good and firm vows, should be carried by you, not carried away from the city to the forest.”
एवमार्तप्रलापांस्तान् वृद्धान् प्रलपतो द्विजान् । अवेक्ष्य सहसा रामो रथादवततार ह ॥ १७ ॥
Seeing those old brahmanas lamenting so, crying out in distress, Rama at once got down from the chariot.
पद्भ्यामेव जगामाथ ससीतः सहलक्ष्मणः । संनिकृष्टपदन्यासो रामो वनपरायणः ॥ १८ ॥
Then Rama, with Sita and with Lakshmana, went on foot, shortening his steps, bound for the forest.
द्विजातीन् हि पदातींस्तान् रामश्चारित्रवत्सलः । न शशाक घृणाचक्षुः परिमोक्तुं रथेन सः ॥ १९ ॥
For Rama, who loved good conduct, his eyes full of compassion, could not bring himself to leave those brahmanas on foot behind with his chariot.
गच्छन्तमेव तं दृष्ट्वा रामं सम्भ्रान्तमानसाः । ऊचुः परमसंतप्ता रामं वाक्यमिदं द्विजाः ॥ २० ॥
Seeing Rama going on, the brahmanas, their minds agitated, deeply pained, said these words to Rama:
ब्राह्मण्यं कृत्स्नमेतत् त्वां ब्रह्मण्यमनुगच्छति । द्विजस्कन्धाधिरूढास्त्वामग्नयोऽप्यनुयान्त्वमी ॥ २१ ॥
“All this brahmanahood follows you, who honour brahmanas. Let even these fires, mounted on the brahmanas’ shoulders, follow you.
वाजपेयसमुत्थानि च्छत्राण्येतानि पश्य नः । पृष्ठतोऽनुप्रयातानि मेघानिव जलात्यये ॥ २२ ॥
“See these umbrellas of ours, which come from the Vajapeya sacrifice, following behind like clouds at the end of the rains.
अनवाप्तातपत्रस्य रश्मिसंतापितस्य ते । एभिश्छायां करिष्यामः स्वैश्छत्रैर्वाजपेयकैः ॥ २३ ॥
“You have no royal umbrella and are scorched by the sun’s rays; we will make shade for you with these umbrellas of ours from the Vajapeya.
या हि नः सततं बुद्धिर्वेदमन्त्रानुसारिणी । त्वत्कृते सा कृता वत्स वनवासानुसारिणी ॥ २४ ॥
“Our minds, always following the mantras of the Veda, have been made to follow forest life for your sake, child.
हृदयेष्ववतिष्ठन्ते वेदा ये नः परं धनम् । वत्स्यन्त्यपि गृहेष्वेव दाराश्चारित्ररक्षिताः ॥ २५ ॥
“The Vedas, our highest wealth, remain in our hearts; and our wives, guarded by their conduct, will stay at home.
पुनर्न निश्चयः कार्यस्त्वद्गतौ सुकृता मतिः । त्वयि धर्मव्यपेक्षे तु किं स्याद् धर्मपथे स्थितम् ॥ २६ ॥
“We need not decide again; our minds are made up to go with you. But if you disregard dharma, what will remain on the path of dharma?
याचितो नो निवर्तस्व हंसशुक्लशिरोरुहैः । शिरोभिर्निभृताचार महीपतनपांसुलैः ॥ २७ ॥
“We beg you with our heads, their hair white as swans, dusty from bowing to the earth: turn back, you of disciplined conduct.
बहूनां वितता यज्ञा द्विजानां य इहागताः । तेषां समाप्तिरायत्ता तव वत्स निवर्तने ॥ २८ ॥
“The many sacrifices extended by the brahmanas who have come here: their completion depends on your turning back, child.
भक्तिमन्तीह भूतानि जङ्गमाजङ्गमानि च । याचमानेषु तेषु त्वं भक्तिं भक्तेषु दर्शय ॥ २९ ॥
“Creatures moving and unmoving here are devoted to you. Show your devotion to the devoted who are begging you.
अनुगन्तुमशक्तास्त्वां मूलैरुद्धतवेगिनः । उन्नता वायुवेगेन विक्रोशन्तीव पादपाः ॥ ३० ॥
“The trees, unable to follow you, their speed held by their roots, rising in the force of the wind, seem to cry out.
निश्चेष्टाहारसंचारा वृक्षैकस्थाननिश्चिताः । पक्षिणोऽपि प्रयाचन्ते सर्वभूतानुकम्पिनम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Even the birds, motionless, not seeking food or moving, settled on one place in the trees, beg you, who are compassionate to all beings.”
एवं विक्रोशतां तेषां द्विजातीनां निवर्तने । ददृशे तमसा तत्र वारयन्तीव राघवम् ॥ ३२ ॥
As those brahmanas cried out for his return, the Tamasa appeared there, as if holding Raghava back.
ततः सुमन्त्रोऽपि रथाद् विमुच्य श्रान्तान् हयान् सम्परिवर्त्य शीघ्रम् । पीतोदकांस्तोयपरिप्लुताङ्गा- नचारयद् वै तमसाविदूरे ॥ ३३ ॥
Then Sumantra, unyoking the tired horses from the chariot and quickly turning them about, watered them, their bodies wet with water, and grazed them not far from the Tamasa.